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ILLINOIS BOARD of ADMISSIONS to THE BAR

ILLINOIS BOARD of ADMISSIONS to THE BAR

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Rule 704A for Qualifying Graduates of Foreign Law Schools


RULE 704A

QUALIFYING graduates of foreign law schools may request permission from the Board to transfer their UBE score attained in another jurisdiction within the four years immediately preceding their application pursuant to Rule 704A. However, only those foreign law school graduates who meet 3 threshold requirements can qualify to make such requests.

  1. Threshold requirements

    A lawyer who received his or her first degree in law in a country other than the US must meet the following 3 requirements before he or she will be permitted to transfer their UBE score to Illinois:

    1. The lawyer must have been licensed to practice law in the country in which the law degree was conferred and/or in the highest court of law in any US state, territory, or the District of Columbia for a minimum of 5 years;

    2. The lawyer must be in good standing as an attorney or equivalent in that country and/or in any US jurisdiction where admitted to practice;

    3. During each of no fewer than 5 of the 7 years immediately prior to making application in Illinois, the applicant must have devoted no fewer than 80 hours per month and 1000 hours per year to the practice of law under a license in the foreign country in which the law degree was conferred and/or a U.S. state or territory or the District of Columbia. If an applicant’s practice occurred in a jurisdiction where they are not licensed, but are permitted to practice, the applicant should be prepared to explain and include citation to any relevant rule, statute, order, or written authorization from the admitting or disciplinary body of the jurisdiction where the practice physically occurred.

      Unless you satisfy ALL of the foregoing threshold requirements, you are not eligible to transfer your UBE score to Illinois.

  2. How to INITIATE a request to transfer for Rule 704A – Admission by Transferred UBE Score for Qualifying Graduates of Foreign Law Schools.

    If you believe that you meet the 3 foregoing threshold requirements, you may initiate your request for permission to transfer your UBE score from another jurisdiction by completing the Preliminary Questionnaire for Rule 704A. Your Preliminary Questionnaire (PQ) must be completed on this website, electronically filed, and approved in writing before you may submit an application to transfer your UBE score.

    3. After your PQ has been submitted and reviewed, you will be advised by email whether it has been provisionally approved, disapproved, or that further information is needed. Provisional approval of your PQ ONLY means that based upon the information you have supplied you may meet the 3 threshold requirements specified above. Only after your PQ is approved may you then COMPLETE an application to transfer your UBE score.

  3. How to COMPLETE a request for permission to transfer your UBE score

    If and when your PQ is provisionally approved, you will be supplied with special Rule 704A instructions and forms. You must then complete or obtain and properly submit all of the forms and documents that have been provided to you or are otherwise required, along with the Rule 704A fee. Your application is not considered submitted until you pay the required fee and submit all of the required documents. Your application must be submitted within 90 days of receipt of PQ approval. In addition, your application must be submitted prior to expiration of your UBE score. In order to transfer your UBE score, it must have been attained within the four years immediately preceding the date the application is submitted.

  4. What must occur before you receive a decision on your request to transfer your UBE Score

    In order to determine your eligibility to transfer your UBE score under Rule 704A, the Board must ascertain whether the quality of your legal education is acceptable for admission to the bar of Illinois. In making this determination, the Board may consider any matters deemed relevant including without limitation the jurisprudence of the country where you were educated, the curriculum and course of studies completed, accreditation of law schools attended, subsequent legal education in the foreign country and the US, and bar admission in other US jurisdictions. If the Board determines that the quality of such education is acceptable for admission to the bar of Illinois, and all other requirements are met, you will be permitted to proceed with your application to transfer your UBE score from another jurisdiction.

ILLINOIS EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT

The rules and all requirements of Newly-Admitted Attorneys can be found here: Supreme Court Rule 793c.

Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board of the Supreme Court of Illinois information

Fee Payment Options

The $1,500 UBE Transfer fee may be paid in one of two ways. The fee may be paid by credit or debit card on our website after you have completed your online application. We accept Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover. A convenience fee will be added to each credit card payment. Warning: If your credit card charge is denied, your application will NOT have been electronically submitted. Alternately, the fee may be paid by cashier’s check, certified check or money order (US Dollars). The check/money order must accompany your external documents and must be postmarked within 14 days of the electronic application submission date. As you are responsible for the timely delivery of your payment and documents, we strongly recommend that you use a mail or courier service that will track the delivery of your package. UNACCEPTABLE forms of payment: personal checks, travelers checks, and corporate and law firm checks. Pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 706(j), filing fees are not refundable or transferable even if you withdraw your application or for any other reason.

Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE)

MPRE. Rule 704A requires that you have passed the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) in Illinois or in any jurisdiction in which it was administered. You must have achieved a scaled score of 80 or more points. To register to take the MPRE or to transfer an MPRE to Illinois, visit the NCBE website at http://www.ncbex.org/exams/mpre/.

Click here to initiate application for Rule 704A for Qualifying Graduates of Foreign Law Schools